Experience .... question Should I go or stay ?

[wowbea]

So I am a new nurse (LPN 3 months in the game ) and I really don't have that much experience. I know in time I will. However I recently got a job at a nursing home and I HATE IT. Not the pt. just the people I work with and the lack of support. I feel like I am drowning and there not life guard around. I do not get payed over time even though I stay 2 hours late documenting. I do not take lunch with is normal but I do not get payed for it. I have no union or benefits. I shared this with a friend who is also a new nurse and she basically told me to put on my big girl panties.

I wanted to know if it was normal for me to have 43 pts all to myself to pass out meds , treatments, change doc orders, file medical and answer the phone. She told me she had 50 pt and she gets it all done? She said if I leave the nursing home how will I get experience and when I become an RN I wont be able to get hired. etc

I may have the opportunity to leave the nursing home and work at a clinic as a floating nurse with full benefits and they specializes in

1. Allergy and Immunology
   
2. Bariatric Surgery
   
3. Cancer/Oncology
   
4. Cardiology
   
5. Cardiothoracic Surgery
   
6. Colorectal Surgery
   
7. Dermatology
   
8. Endocrinology
   
9. Family Medicine/Primary Care
   
10. Gastroenterology
    
11. General Surgery
    
12. Infectious Disease
    
13. Internal Medicine
    
14. Liver Diseases
    
15. Lung/Pulmonology
    
16. Nephrology
    
17. Neurology
    
18. Neurosurgery
    
19. OBGYN
    
20. Ophthalmology
    
21. Optometry
    
22. Orthopaedics
    
23. Pain Management and Anesthesia
    
24. Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
    
25. Podiatry
    
26. Radiology
    
27. Rheumatology
    
28. Surgical Oncology
    
29. Travel Medicine
    
30. Vascular Surgery
    
31. Urgent Care
    
32. Urology
    

So my question is should I go or should I say at the nursing home ?

[cynmrn]

As I'm not a SNF nurse, I can't say what the normal patient load is, but I think it's ridiculous for anyone to be expected to stay over 2 hours and not get paid, in addition to not taking a lunch. I work as a school RN/med-surg RN and there are times when I don't get a lunch, but this shouldn't be the norm. I hate when people feel like you've got to be a martyr in order to be a nurse. Yes, you have to expect that things happen and you won't get your breaks occasionally, because patients always come first (within reason), but the perspective that you're a wimp if you want a break has got to stop.

I am always inclined to say stay in the position you have for awhile and give it a chance. But, if you truly don't like it, and you SECURE another job, than go ahead and take it. You'll be getting experience in whatever job you get. You'll have a different skill set.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

One of the jobs I work is in a clinic. Believe me I am still overworked. I miss my breaks frequently because as the PP said - patients come first. That being said I do not volunteer my time to ANY employer. Another job I work does not pay for you to attend staff meetings - I don't go to them then.. If you are working after you need to not punch out. If you are not getting a lunch you need to submit a missed lunch note.

LTC tends to be a VERY busy job, and as you gain more experience you will move faster. Clinic nursing tends to pay less than LTC, but your benefits may be better. Only you can say what will work best for you. Being a flot at a clinic with that many specialties isn't going to be a picnic either. At least in the LTC facility you can come up with a routine. Being a float does not allow that luxury.

[ponymom]

your'e better off working a wal-Mart than that pighole. Why do people subject themselves to places like that?